5 Easy-to-learn Programming Languages For Beginners

Short Bytes: Are you looking for an easy-to-learn programming language? Well, while the answer to your question varies according to your need, there are some programming languages that a beginner can learn and excel. Python and Ruby are well established as easiest programming languages for beginners due to their simple and readable syntax. Java, C, C++, and JavaScript are also recommended due to their widespread use and tons of support material.

Learning programming isn’t an easy task. Leave aside the level of difficulty, choosing a right programming language that suits one’s need is a tough job. But, if you have a good idea of what you’re trying to learn, this job gets easier. While there are languages like PHP and JavaScript for web development, Java and Swift are preferred for creating mobile applications. So, analyze your needs and the half problem is solved.

There are other factors too that help you decide the best programming language for a beginner. These factors are salary, popularity, job opportunities, and geography. We’ve covered these topics in the previous articles. But, what if you’re looking for a programming language that has a simple and intuitive syntax, making the overall learning process easier?

Such languages are easier to learn and pick up as compared to others. These easiest programming languages, which are also very popular, have a big community dedicated to teaching and you won’t find the dearth of learning resources. So, learning these beginner-friendly programming languages shouldn’t be much troublesome.

Also, please note that here I’m not trying to tell you which language you should learn first. Everybody has different needs and inspirations behind learning. So, read about these five top languages for beginners and make your choice accordingly–

5 Easy programming languages for beginners:

1. Python

These days, Python is regarded as one of the best and easiest programming languages for beginners, and it gets mentioned very soon in any coding discussion. Guido van Rossum developed Python in 1980s. It’s a free and open source language that’s known for its dynamic, flexible, object-oriented, procedural, and functional programming styles.

With its simple and readable code, the programmers can express the concept in lesser lines of code. Today, it has become one of the most popular introductory programming languages in American and European schools.

Django is a powerful web framework for Python that’s widely used to power different applications.

Application of Python: Python is used to create desktop and web apps. Apart from that, it’s also a major tool in the field of machine learning, data mining, scientific computing, etc.

2. Ruby

Ruby, a dynamic, general-purpose language, was designed and developed by Yukihiro Matsumoto in 1990s, with a focus on the syntax that was easy to read by humans. This language supports multiple programming paradigms, including object-oriented, functional, and imperative. This feature makes it a very flexible programming language.

Just like Python, it’s simple and readable. As a result, it’s widely regarded as one of easiest programming languages to learn. If you already know Ruby, you might be knowing that without any need to learn tons of commands and jargon, you can get started. Just like Python, Ruby also enjoys the love of its dedicated community. Ruby acts as a great tool if you need to deal with the backend aspect of your work. It’s widely used to develop websites, web-based applications, and mobile applications.

Ruby on Rails is a web framework built on Ruby. In recent times, we’ve seen a great rise in the number of Ruby on Rails job opportunities in new startups.

Application of Ruby: As said above, Ruby on Rails is used to create web applications. Within a few minutes, one can create a web blog.

3. Java

Java was developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems in 1990s. Today, it’s maintained by Oracle. It’s a general purpose programming language that’s used to build different kinds of apps and software. Over the time, it has established itself as one of the most influential and solid programming languages. It’s a class-based, object-oriented programming language that’s built for portability and cross-platform application.

A lot of Java syntax is based on C or C++. That’s why it’s introduced at a later stage in schools. But, it allows a learner to think like a programmer and understand how a PC processes information. Learning Java ensures a solid foundation and makes you ready for a coding career.

Hadoop is a popular Java-based framework that used by big enterprises.

Application of Java: Java is used to build native Android applications. It’s also used as a server-side language.

4. C and C++

C and C++ programming languages, probably the first ones you learned, have been around for a very long time. C is still a widely popular general-purpose programming language that has influenced many other modern programming languages, including C++. Some people might argue that C uses more complex code compared to others, so what’s the use of C in this list? It’s one of the most fundamental languages in computer science, and learning it will make your basics clear.

Based on C, C++ is a powerful programming language that’s designed to take things one step further, and it offers object-oriented programming. It has established itself as one of the most important programming languages around. Just like C, C++ helps you gain an insight of how things work in computer science.

Applications of C and C++: These languages have been used to build numerous pieces of software, operating systems, desktop apps, mobile apps, web apps, game, game engines, etc.

5. JavaScript

JavaScript is often, and rightly, called the language of the web. The beginners shouldn’t confuse it with Java. It’s primarily a client side scripting language that’s used for front-end development. It’s easy to learn, but not as easy as Python and Ruby on Rails. JavaScript’s syntax is similar to C. Due to its cross-platform nature, it’s a widely popular programming language that’s easy to learn. It’s supported by all web browsers. Using Node.js, it can also be used as a server-side language.

Talking about a shortcoming, being an untyped programming language, JavaScript doesn’t get recommendations the way Python and Ruby get. Due to this shortcoming, the errors aren’t revealed until runtime. But, for an introduction to the world of programming, JS is a good choice.

JavaScript, one of the greatest and easiest programming language for beginners, is used often through libraries like JQuery and frameworks like React and AngularJS.

Applications of JavaScript: It’s used for web development. It’s run by most modern browsers. JavaScript is also used for mobile app development and web apps.